Ruin of the seaport

Causes of the abandonment of Puerto Colombia and the loss of a coastal gem

Bibliographic Data

ID7959760
AuthorsPedro Abel Romero (Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, corresponding author), Mark Michael Betts Alvear (Universidad del Norte, Urbanism and Design), M Betts (0000-0002-0656-6334, Universidad del Norte)
Year2025
Volume40
Issue6
Pages1709-1725
Publication date2025-11-02
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePlanning Perspectives (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0266-5433 • E-ISSN: 1466-4518
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02665433.2025.2572103
OpenAlexW4415160620
LanguageEN
References cited9

This article examines the main factors that led to the closure of Puerto Colombia's maritime pier and the relocation of Colombia's international port activity to Barranquilla in 1936. The construction of the Bocas de Ceniza breakwaters enabled deep-draft vessels to reach Barranquilla through the Magdalena River, consolidating its port dominance. However, this shift also reflected political and economic interests that marginalized Puerto Colombia's population and limited its urban development. Drawing on primary and secondary sources—technical reports, government resolutions, census data and journalistic accounts—the study applies a historiographical approach inspired by Koselleck and Skinner to interpret both conceptual and intentional dimensions of historical discourse. By comparing contemporaneous and retrospective narratives, it reveals how official accounts emphasized the technical and economic benefits of Barranquilla's rise while obscuring the local consequences of Puerto Colombia's decline. The findings highlight the role of infrastructure in shaping regional urban hierarchies and propose new avenues for studying how decisions on port relocation affect social and spatial configurations in coastal territories

Climate change · Population decline · Environmental and Ecological Studies · Law, logistics, and international trade · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology

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Open DOIOpen Access